Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Spanish club DKV Joventut has announced that Sito Alonso is no longer the head coach of the team, after agreeing both parts to terminate his contract. Sito Alonso was the coach of Joventut since last season, after several years as an assistant. Joventut has lost the last 6 games in ACB league. Former Spanish NT coach Pepu Hernández, and Serbian coach Svetislav Pesic are in the list for being the new Joventut coach.

D-League franchise Albuquerque Thunderbirds added rookie center Shagari Alleyne to roster. Alleyne, who played in college for University of Kentucky, was drafted last summer by the T-Birds in fifth round, but was cut in pre-season. His last team was Halifax Rainmen, in the Premier Basketball League.

Spanish team Cajasol is already planning the next season, and has set an target to improve the roster: Martyinas Gecevicius. 22-year-old Lithuanian guard, currently in Lietuvos Rytas, was close to arrive to Cajasol weeks ago, but the coach Joan Plaza preferred to sign a more experienced player like Ruben Douglas. Cajasol was also interested in Coby Karl, but the American guard decided to sign a 10-day contract with the Warriors.

Serbian guard Jovan Teodosic, a free agent since being released by Greek team Egaleo, has found a new team. The older brother of Olympiakos player, Milos, will play for Serbian team Metalac, currently fighting in the top zone of the Serbian Superleague and the Balkan League.

Drazen Anzulovic was the top choice of Polish Basketball Federation to manage the National Team, but Croatian coach refused the offer. Former Cibona player and coach didn't want the Poland NT job to complicate to find a chance to manage a club. Jasmin Repesa (recently hired by Benetton) and Ramunas Butautas (free agent since leaving Zalgiris) are now the options for the Polish Federation.

Spanish team CB Granada has decided to re-sign Bosnian center Ervin Jazvin for the rest of the season. 29-year-old player arrived a month ago to Granada with a temporary contract, now extended. Last season, Jazvin played in Russia for Spartak Primorje Vladivostok.

Ironi Ramat-Gan has brought back to Israel center Anton Kazarnovski, after playing last three seasons and a half in Germany. Kazarnovski started the season in the German ProA with BC Karlsruhe, averaging 7.5 points and 5.2 rebounds in 22 minutes per game, and has signed for Ironi Ramat-Gan for the rest of the season.

French team Hyères-Toulon have released American guard Daniel Horton due to his less than impressive performances. 25-year-old player was averaging 3.4 points and 3.0 assists in the LNB. Horton arrived this season from Pau-Orthez. Hyères-Toulon will track the market for a replacement.

First decisions in Khimik after the change of head coach. Ukrainian team have signed American player Russell Carter, who has played this season in the D-League for Austin Toros and Rio Grande Valley Vipers. Carter was released from the Vipers days ago. 24-year-old guard has also played in Italy and in France.

Oklahoma City Thunder have re-assigned rookie center B.J. Mullens and second-year guard Kyle Weaver to the D-League affiliated franchise Tulsa 66ers. Mullens averaged 15.5 points and 8.3 rebounds in his first 11-game stint in the D-League, while Weaver averaged 17.0 points, 9.0 assists and 7.5 rebounds in 2 games with the 66ers.

As expected, Golden State Warriors have called up Sioux Falls Skyforce forward Reggie Williams to a 10-day contract, who was averaging 26.4 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.2 assists in the D-League. This is the fifth call up for the Warriors after Chris Hunter, Anthony Tolliver, Cartier Martin and Coby Karl. Hunter and Tolliver are still in Golden State.

Denver Nuggets are looking for a backup center, and tracking the free agent market. Besides of Mikki Moore and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the NBA franchise is also asking for another veteran center, Mark Blount, recently waived by Minnesota Timberwolves after not playing a single game this season.

Veteran guard Rashid Atkins has decided not to play for Olympia Larisa despite the first agreement between both parts, and will continue his career in Cyriot team Apoel Nicosia. Greek squad will have to find another replacement for released player Jamar Butler. Olympia Larisa also decided to inactivate forward Nestoras Kommatos, who will have to find a new team.

Nigerian forward Ugonna Onyekwe was released by Israeli team Bnei Hasharon to make place for a signing of a guard to replace injured Dori Assaf. 30-year-old player, though, has already a new team. Maccabi Rishon LeZion, who have just signed another forward, Darrell Tucker, inked Onyekwe for the rest of the season.

Bakersfield Jam and Erie BayHawks have agreed to a trade involving guard Blake Ahearn and forward Alade Aminu. Ahearn, who arrived weeks ago to the Jam after starting the season with Spanish team Estudiantes, will play for the BayHawks, while Aminu will go to Bakersfield.

Bakersfield Jam have announced the re-acquisition of Trey Johnson, who was the top scorer of the D-League franchise this season. This season, the 25-year-old forward started the season in French team Gravelines Dunkerque, but was released after averaging 8.8 points and 2.2 rebounds in LNB.

French team JDA Dijon have announced that Frederic Adjiwanou won't be re-signed after finishing his temporary contract. French center arrived to Dijon to replace injured Nick Fazekas, still no recovered. Dijon also signed days ago Serbian center Stevan Milosevic, who was a free agent after finishing his temporary contract with Partizan.

The recent bad performances (3 wins in the last 14 games) of Italian LegaDue team Riviera Solar Rimini has forced the club board to make a change of direction. Giancarlo Sacco was fired after a season with the team. His replacement is rumored to be Giampiero Ticchi, the current coach of the Italian Women National Team.